Fuel-reserve-supply system for motor vehicles



l 19 27 F. JERDONE. JR

FUEL RESERVE SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR IQTOR VEHICLES Fwy LEI- 2 IN V I'JVTOR. f'r 0/76/8 Jera'one Jr:

Filed Dec. 1923 m wmw illustrated in the accompanying Patented May 10, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,628,150 PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS JERDONE, JR., OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE WILLYS-OVERLAND GOM- PANY, .OF TOLEDO, .OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

FUEL-RESERVE-SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

Application filed December 31, 1923. Serial No. 683,683.

This invention relates to fuel reserve supply systems for motor vehicles, and has for one object to provide improved means for controlling the discharge of fuel from the supply tank in order that a predetermined amount of the fuel may be held in reserve,

so that in case the driver fails to replenish :the supply at the proper time, and the engine stops for lack of fuel, the apparatus can be adjusted to permit the use of the reserve supply, at the same time calling attention to the fact that the tank needs re-filling.

Anotherobject of the invention is to provide a simple and practicable arrangement for controlling the discharge of fuel from the supply tank, constructed so that in addition to affording a reserve supply of fuel, the apparatus can be locked in a position to prevent the discharge of the fuel from the tank at any time desired, thus serving as a means for preventing the theft of the car by cutting off the supply of fuel to the engine.

Another object of the invention is to provide in combination with a fuelsupply tank, a fuel control valve having two discharge positions, in one of which a reserve supply of fuel will be maintained in the tank, and in the other of which said supply will be 1 free to discharge therefrom, the valve having still another position at which it is adapted to cut off the discharge entirely, in which position it is adapted to be locked to prevent unauthorized use of the machine.

Other objects will appear from the description to follow, covering certain embodiments of the invention, which, fon the purposes of the present application, I have drawings, in which: i

Figure I is a part sectional elevation of a fuel supply tank and valve mechanism, embodying one form of theinvention.

Fig. II is an enlarged part sectional. elevar tion of the valve in position to discharge the main supply of fuel, but ad apted to preventthe discharge of the reserve supply.

Fig. III is a similar view, with the valve in position to discharge the reserve supply. Fig. IV is a sectional elevation showing the valve locked in closed position to prevent the discharge of any of the fuel, and hence the unauthorized use of the machine.

Fig. V is a bottom plan view of the valve in the position shown in Fig. IV, with the lock omitted, the upper and lower dotted line positions of the operating handle indicating respectively, the positions of this member as disclosed in Figs II and III.

Fig. VI is a sectional plan taken on line VI-VI of Fig. II. 1

Fig. VII is a sectional plan taken on line VIIVII of Fig. II, and

Fig. VIII is a fragmentary, sectional elevation showing a modified form of valve construction, one permitting the valve to be withdrawn downwardly through the casing upon removal of the handle and packing nut thereabove.

Referring to the drawings, represents a fuel supply tank which may be of any suitable type, located at any desired point upon the automobile, such for instance, asunder the cowl (not shown), where it maybe supported by the dash 11. The tank is provided with a flange 12, into which is screwthreaded a valve casing 13 having a central bore therein adapted to receive a tubular valve 14 arranged to fit snugly within the bore, but capable of being rotated therein. The tubular member 14: is provided with a stem or operating member '15 projecting thereinto and secured by arivet 16 extending transversely through the stem and tubular member. The bottom of the tubular member 1 L rests upon a shoulder 17 on the valve casin which prevents the downward removal of said member. The stem or operating member is surrounded 'by a packing nut 18 screwed into the bottom of the casing 13 to compress the packing 19 around the stem, whereby to prevent leakage of the fuel past the same.

The stem 15 is provided with a handle 20, removably secured thereon to permit the valve and stem to be inserted. within and removed from the casing when desired, said handle being preferably secured by a screw 21 threaded into the end of the stem as shown in Fig. IV. The casing 13 is provided at a point below the tank with an outlet opening 22 in a threaded extension 23, to which is connected a discharge pipe 24, as by means of a coupling 25, the discharge pipe leading to the carburetor of the engine, (not shown), to which the fuel is fed by gravity from the tank 10 in a manner to be ex plained hereinafter. The valve 14 is .pro-

jected upwardly within the tank a distance obtained by determining the height therein of the quantity ol. l'uel desired to constitute the reserve supply.

As long as the fuel is at a level. above the top of the tubular valve 14, it will flow dowinvardly therein and. outwardly through the discharge opening 26, assuming that the latter is in registry with the outlet 22 of the casing, as shown in Fig. II, this being the normal running position for the valve. As soon as the level ol. the fuel drops below the top of the valve, the How therethrough is discontinued. It then becomes necessary either to replenish the supply, or to set the valve so that the reserve supply may be used. This is done by turning the valve from the position shown in Fig. ll, to that shown in Fig. III, in which position, the outlet opening 27 of the valve will register with the outlet 22, and sinniltaneously the inlet 28 of the valve will. register with the opening 29 in the extended portion 30 01 the casing, thus pern'iitting the reserve supply to be discharged to the carburetor. After the reserve supply or any portion of the same has been used, the valve will, at the time of replenishing the tank, be turned back to normal position as indicated in Fig. II.

In addition to the reserve control feature, the device is so constructed that it can be employed by the driver when parking or housing the car to prevent theft of, or the unauthorized use of the same. To accomplish this result, it is only necessary to turn and lock the valve in the intermediate position shown in Figs. 1, IV and V, in which position it will close the outlet 22 and cut off the supply of fuel to the engine, leaving available only the amount in the carburetor, which is insul'licient for use in driving the car any considerable distance.

Any suitable locking means may be provi ded, but I prefer to use a padlock as shown at 31, the bolt of which is extended through the openings 32 and 33 ot the handle 20 and arm or extension 34? respectively, the latter being preferably cast integral with the easing 13 and also serving as an indicator to indicate that the valve is in closed position when the handle is in registry therewith. If a padlock oi? proper form and size is selected, it will be impossible for a prospective thief to remove screw 21 and drop handle 20 far enough to enable him to expose the end of stem 15 and thus turn the same. The handle is pro 'ided with the lateral extensions on the opposite sides thereof, which are adapted to engage a stop lug 36 on the casing when the handle is in either of the dotted line positions shown in Fig. V, corresponding to the running positions of the valve as shown in Figs. II and III.

Mounted upon the upper end of the eas- 111g in spaced relation to the extension 30,

is a strainer 37, through which the l'uel must pass be'liore entering the tube 1.4:, said strainer being secured to the casing by soldering or otherwise, as desired.

The casing and the valve, together with the strainer, t'orin a unitary device, simple in construction and economical to manufacture and one which can be readily detached by unscrewing the same after the coupling 2' has been disconnected from the extension 23. The ready application and removal of the device as a single member, effects a con siderable saving in time and the accessibility of the parts is of advantage in reducing the cost o'l. repairs.

The arrangement shown inv Fig. VIII is the same as that already described, except that the longitudinal bore of the casing is extended through to the packing chamber and the tube projected downwardly into the packing nut as shown at 38, thus permitting the tubular valve to be withdrawn downwardly from the casing after the packing nut 18 has been removed. In addition to this change, the valve stem 15 is extended through the handle 39 and the latter secured thereto by a screw 40 positioned at a right angle to the stem, the handle having the laterally extending projections 35, the same as the handle 20, which are adapted to engage the stop lug 36, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. V. By removing the handle 39, the packing nut 18 may be unscrewed and the valve withdrawn by a downward pull on the same.

.Vhile I have shown and described in considerable detail, certain specific embodiments of my invention, it is to be under stood that this showing and description is illustrative only and for the purpose of rendering my invention more clear, and that I do not regard the invention as limited to the details of construction illustrated or described, except insofar as I have included such limitations within the terms of the following claims.

I claim as my invention: I

1. In combination with a liquid tank, a rotary valve comprising a casing secured to the bottom of said tank, a stem within said casing having a shoulder thereon coacting, with a portion of said casing to prevent downward withdrawal of said stem, a packing nut engaging said casing and the lower part of said stem for preventing leakage, a downwardly removable handle on said stem below said packing nut, an extension upon said casing, and means for locking the handle to said extension whereby downward movement of said handle on said stem is restricted and said valve component parts are locked together as a unit.

2. In combination with a liquid tank, a rotary valve having open and closed positions, comprising a casing secured to the bottom of said tank, a stem Within said caslow said packing nut, an extension on said ing having a shoulder co-acting with a porcasing, and means for looking said handle tion of said casing to prevent downward to said extensiomwhereby the component 10 withdrawal of said stem, a packing nut enparts of said valve may be locked together 5 gaging said casing and the lower part of as a unit in the closed position of the valve.

said stem for preventing leakage, an out- In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

Wardly removable handle on said stem be- FRANCIS JERDONE, JR. 

